National Republican., 1887-04-13
Hon. John S. Wise at Philadelphia.

Hon. John s. Wise at Philadelphia.
The Hon. John s. Wise, OF Virginia,
made ringing speech at the banquet Of
the Young Republicans Club in Philadel-
phia on Tuesday evening. In the course Of
his remarks, he said
How do they stand on the question of the
colored people? Why, fellow. citizens. the
Democratic party, in every fight since I have
been man. has planted itself fairly and
squnrely on the color line. Time and time
again have appealed to the people to become
Republicans, to discuss the tariff, the internal
revenue law, the surplus in the treasury. But
there was magic plea that always broke the
spell Of any appeal which any Republican
might make, and 1t was this You might talk
with company OF men or of angels, and yet
there would be some ignoramus without
particle of information on the subject oh
which you would be talking, who would get
up and say, HE may be right or wrong on
the tariff; he may be right or wrong on inter-
nal revenue, finance or Surplus in the treasury;
but, ye gods, there is one question supreme be-
yond this, and that is ARE you white man or
are you nigger2"
II is common thing for the people OF tho
north to imagine that the Republican party of
the south is composed almost of colored
voters. Far be 1t from me TO detract one par.
ticle from the faithful. loyal. honest. and
earnest support which the colored people of
the south have given to the Republican party
That race amid every provocation, has been
gentle and loyal, and there isn't a white race
on earth that If freedom had come to IL from
slavery like q clap of thunder from q clear sky.
as 1t came to these people. there is not race
that would have borne Its blooming honors
more meekly and loyalty and kindly than the
colored men have done. [Applause.l
All they have lacked has been the moral
support OF enough whites TO say that their
votes were honestly counted as cast. n IL a
common thing for you in the north to imagine
that the Republican party has not such fol-
lowing In our state. But let me prove that It
has. Seven years ago there were not 10000
white Republicans in the 1,6OO123 people of
Virginia, yet to-day Rockingham county has
| 26l23 white people and 3,iO0 colored. 1t gives
a Republican majority; so do Tasewell county,
Lamb county, and many other white counties
give large Republican maJorities
In Virginia the color line is fast dlsap-
pearing from politics, and the result is that
| the state is Republican. The reason is plain.
| Virginia was the first state OF the south which
ceased to be purely agricultural, and whose
industries became diversified. The people
| who owned, those who worked, and those
who resided within the influence Of the
iron and coal mines, saw the danger Of the
free trade folly taught by the Democratic
party, and they became Republicans. Some
of the colored voters left the party, the
menace Of the color line was withdrawn,
and the question, "Are you white man ol
are you niggers" would no longer solidify
the white vote.
1t is only necessary for the people Of the
south, white and colored, to reason together
upon the principles advocated by the Demo
Gratis to enable them to speedily determine
that they will no longer have "part mol
lot" with the party that seeks to destroy
American Industries and reduce American
laborers to the condition Of paupers.
Whenever the people begin to discuss
economic questions Democracy is doomed
and no sneer about the ''nigger" party vii
prevent Republican success.